21 Things You May Not kNow About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples A Reality

Author: Bob Joseph
Genre: Nonfiction, Canadian, Indigenous
Type: Paperback
Pages: 160
Publisher: Indigenous Relations Press
First Published: April 10, 2018

Book Description from GoodReads: Based on a viral article, 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act is the essential guide to understanding the legal document and its repercussion on generations of Indigenous Peoples, written by a leading cultural sensitivity trainer.

Since its creation in 1876, the Indian Act has shaped, controlled, and constrained the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Peoples, and is at the root of many enduring stereotypes. Bob Joseph’s book comes at a key time in the reconciliation process, when awareness from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities is at a crescendo. Joseph explains how Indigenous Peoples can step out from under the Indian Act and return to self-government, self-determination, and self-reliance—and why doing so would result in a better country for every Canadian. He dissects the complex issues around truth and reconciliation, and clearly demonstrates why learning about the Indian Act’s cruel, enduring legacy is essential for the country to move toward true reconciliation. 

My Rating: 5 stars

My Review: This wee book breaks down the Indian Act into bite-sized pieces so Canadians, of all backgrounds, can have a better understanding about the Indian Act and how it still influences our country today.

Before we can reconcile with the past and move on together, we need to understand what has happened, what was promised and continues to happen to our Indigenous citizens. I was shocked, mad and saddened to read about the extent to which our own government went to commit genocide against the peoples who originally lived in Canada. Its hubris was shameful, arrogant and wrong. This book lays out the effects on Indigenous peoples that came from the Indian Act (destruction of cultures and languages and the continued and far-reaching effects of the horrors of the residential schools). 

Joseph gives readers the key issues in the Indian Act and includes an extensive appendix, a glossary and discussion topics (which take up almost half of the book). Going into this book, I thought I had a decent knowledge about this aspect of Canadian history but after reading 21 Things … I now realize that I was not nearly as informed as I had thought. 

After reading this book, I have a much better understanding about the issues and hope that reconciliation and healing can be accomplished soon. Today I'm excited to go to my very first pow wow to learn more about some local Indigenous cultures. Education, sympathy, understanding the importance of diversity and acknowledgement of the past are key for all of us to move on.